


Of Gods and Monsters, Edda 5: Rose-Gold Efi

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [16]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Ace Moira O'Deorain, Asexual Moira O'Deorain, Childhood, Conditioning, Deception, Dinner, F/F, Family, Family Dinners, Fucked Up, Gen, Innocents, Lesbian Character, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Numbani (Overwatch), Oasis (Overwatch), Past Brainwashing, Poly Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, Polyamorous Character, Protection, Talon Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, Talon Lena "Tracer" Oxton, Talon!Mercy, The Best Lies are True
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 01:24:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14485743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Moira O’Deorain has won. Her rivals within Talon destroyed, her trio of loyal Weapons - the Changed and copper-eyed Tracer, the silver-eyed Oilliphéist, and golden-eyed Widowmaker - at her command, to remake the world.Even as Talon makes plans for its new world, Angela Ziegler has come to Numbani to demonstrate new medical diagnostic techniques - and to speak with the Oladele family. Efi Oladele - latest winner of an Adawe Foundation Genius Grant - is a candidate for a groundbreaking medical treatment.But will her parents agree? And why, far from public view, has the Widowmaker taken an interest in the young genius?This story - a side-step/alternate-ending sequel toThe Armourer and the Living Weapon- will be told in a series of eddas, sagas, fragments, texts, and cantos, all of which serve their individual purposes. To follow it as it appears,please subscribe to the series.





	Of Gods and Monsters, Edda 5: Rose-Gold Efi

> _When all was ready, Oduduwa hung a chain from a corner of the sky,_   
>  _placed a bag over her shoulder, and started the downward climb._   
>  _From above, they heard Olodumare say to pour the sand from_   
>  _the snail's shell, and to release the white hen._   
>  _The hen began to scratch, scattering the sand about, forming dry land._   
>  _The bigger piles became hills, and the smaller piles, valleys._   
>  _Oduduwa jumped from their chain, to a hill, and named the place Ife._   
>  _They soon decided to create beings like themself, from clay,_   
>  _to have company, and the orisha of the sky breathed life into them._   
>  _The new people built huts, and soon, Ife prospered, becoming a city._

Abeni Oladele frowned at her screen. An incoming call from a number she didn’t recognize, at this time of the day…

_I hope Efi hasn’t gotten into any trouble again..._

She connected the call, putting on a pleasant, businesslike expression just in case. “Ayedun Consulting. May I help you?”

To her surprise, she recognized the blonde haired, blue eyed woman who smiled back at her. "Hello, Mrs. Oladele. My name is Dr. Angela Ziegler. I hope I’m not interrupting anything."

Abeni’s jaw dropped, not quite believing what was happening. "Angela Zi... Mercy? _The_ Mercy?!!"

"Well," Angela chuckled. "Yes, but I don't like to introduce myself that way over the phone."

"Oh. Yes, I suppose so.” Abeni shook her head slightly, trying to find her footing. “But... ah... can I help you?" _Why would you be calling a civil engineering firm?_

Angela gave her a winning smile, and Abeni couldn’t help but relax a bit. "I've been visiting Numbani this week and lecturing at the Sapara Institute. Your daughter Efi was kind enough to be one of my demonstrators today, and I wanted to see if I could speak to you about some of the test results..."

Abeni frowned, “Test results?” _What was she even doing at - oh, the field trip, that’s right._ “Has something happened?”

“Not yet,” the doctor said, and Abeni felt her stomach clench. “You see, I was demonstrating a new nerve induction vision test - a way to identify developmental issues or hereditary conditions that could affect eyesight later in life. Efi volunteered to be one of the subjects I scanned during my presentation.”

“Oh,” Abeni laughed ruefully, “of course she did.”

Angela joined her in the laugh. “I see I don’t need to tell you that she was quite enthusiastic.” 

“No,” Abeni shook her head. “No, I know my little genius. Anything for science!” She tapped her fingers against the desk. “So, there’s going to be... there is... some kind of problem?”

“Potentially.” Angela tilted her head slightly. “There's no emergency, but... well, I probably shouldn’t discuss the exact results on the phone. Would it be possible for you, Efi, and your husband to have dinner with me at my hotel this evening? We can go over everything, and I may be able to offer a few options.”

Abeni felt her head spinning a bit. Dinner with _Mercy?_ She didn’t have anything appropriate. Kehinde was probably already at the market… 

_Oh!_

“Actually... would you be interested in joining _us_ , at our home? I’m fairly sure my husband would be delighted to share his cooking with you.”

Angela’s smile became positively dazzling. “I would love to! Shall I come over around... seven?”

“Yes - do you have our address?”

Angela nodded. “Efi put it on her consent form - that’s how I got your office number.”

“Wonderful. We’ll be looking forward to your visit!”

Once the call disconnected, Abeni gave herself a very dignified ten seconds to quietly shriek with excitement before she hit the speed dial for her husband’s mobile. 

“Kehinde! Whatever you’re planning for dinner, we need enough for one more - you will not _believe_ who’s coming over!”

\-----

Angela smiled as Abeni handed her a cup of after dinner coffee. “I see my reputation precedes me.”

Kehinde chuckled as he returned from putting the last of the dishes in the kitchen. “This _is_ a special occasion.” He looked over to where Efi was practically vibrating in her seat, and gave his daughter an indulgent smile as he sat down. “So, exactly what sort of trouble did our Efi get into today, doctor?”

“I didn’t get in _any_ trouble!” Efi had that wonderfully wounded dignity that only a twelve year old girl could really pull off. “I just volunteered to be part of the experiment and Doctor Ziegler informed me that my results showed some concerning data. Which means if it’s in my DNA, that would be _your_ fault!”

“Ooof!” Kehinde clutched at his chest as if shot. “Such cruel logic!” He winked over at Abeni. “But if that’s the case it’s only _half_ my fault.” 

“I see how this is going.” Abeni gave Angela a little roll of her eyes. “I’m sorry - you must think we’re ridiculous.”

Angela sipped at her coffee before giving a little shake of her head. “Not at all. It’s nice to see how close your family is. My stepdaughter was... a bit too old to really have evenings like this, when I became part of her family. Not that we don’t get along - but it’s different at her age.”

Abeni’s eyebrows rose. “I didn’t even know you were married.”

Angela looked down at her hands. “Ah. Yes. I’m afraid that given my line of work - and my reputation - it was something best kept out of the news.”

“Your secret is safe with us,” Efi promised. “I won’t even tell Orisa!” 

Angela gave Efi a grateful smile. _Such a lovely girl, honestly._ “There’s no need to go quite that far, but thank you.” She reached for her purse, drawing out the padd that had Efi’s test results. “So - perhaps it would be best to discuss what the tests found?” 

She waited for the round of nods before starting her explanation. “In this case, our examination of Efi’s optic nerve and surrounding tissues shows she’ll be developing substantial issues as she hits puberty, and beyond. Nearsightedness at first, but also a risk for presbyopia and meibomian gland dysfunction, and possibly most seriously, she carries a rare mutation in the rhodopsin gene's 23rd codon associated with a mild form of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.”

"Retinitis pigmentosa?" Kehinde looked over at Efi with alarm. "That causes blindness!"

"I must say," the doctor interjected, "it is a form of protein malformation which generally leads to only mild expression of symptoms, and they take quite some time to express. I do _not_ think it would progress to blindness - but it could contribute to her incipient nearsightedness, and would certainly impact her vision further as she ages."

Kehinde shook his head. "My grandmother had retinitis pigmentosa, doctor - she went blind before she turned 40.”

Angela did not allow herself a knowing smile as Efi shook her head. “I was quite shocked when Doctor Ziegler took me aside.”

"I _do not_ think that is in her future," the doctor stressed. "We would have to conduct somewhat more rigorous testing - it could be a partial malformation, localised to only some cells. We could look for actual inappropriate gene expression - alanine, where we should find proline, in particular."

"Can you guarantee it won't develop?" Abinde hummed. “Nearsightedness isn’t so dire, but...”

Efi’s shoulders fell. " _Severely_ nearsighted, mom. Glasses like bottles. Maybe worse."

Abinde made a show of pushing her rather bottle-like eyeglasses back on her nose. "And what is so wrong with eyeglasses?"

Efi put her head against the kitchen table. "Moooooooooom. Please don’t be embarrassing!"

Angela sat back, hiding her smile behind her coffee. 

“I appreciate you telling us about this,” Kehinde said with an air of reluctance. “But is there much, other than glasses, that can be _done?_ ”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Angela put her cup down so she could use both hands as she spoke. “My research team and I have been working on a joint project with the Ministry of Genetics at Oasis, using targeted nanocapsules and adaptive gene therapies for conditions just like these. Efi would be an ideal candidate for the procedure.”

She didn’t miss Abinde’s slight cringe. “That sounds... very expensive.”

“Normally,” Angela admitted, “that would be true. But since the procedure is still in final clinical trials, I have a solution.” She leaned in a bit, meeting Efi’s eyes. “Efi, so long as you would be willing to let your results and non-identifiable medical data be used in the final published study, I can authorize the procedure at no cost to your family.” She sat back a bit, smiling at all of the Oladeles. “Everything will be billed to my lab, and covered under our research budget.”

Kehinde hummed, making eye contact with his wife, a silent conversation of expressions and subtle gestures. “Would you be able to perform the treatment here in Numbani?”

“I wish I could,” Angela explained sympathetically, “but our partners at the Ministry aren’t quite so mobile. Still - I think there’s a solution.” She smiled over to Efi again. “Efi was telling me she’s been invited to the Youth Development Workshop next month?”

“Yes,” Abinde nodded. “She was offered a place after winning the Genius grant.” She gave Efi a look of exasperated concern. “We were a bit concerned that she might lose the offer when they found out Orisa was combat capable.” 

“The attitudes towards Omnics are generally much more accepting in Oasis than in many places,” Angela noted, “but I can understand the concern.” She picked her cup back up, savouring the last sips. “Still - if we could make arrangements for Efi to come out a few days early, I think we can complete her treatments before the workshop starts.”

Efi’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Can I? I’d get a chance to see the clinic, Doctor Ziegler could take me to the bazaar, and oh! Oh! The _library!_ ”

“Efi,” her father cautioned more seriously, “Doctor Ziegler is a busy woman - and if we say yes, you would be going for _treatment._ I wouldn’t be so quick to assume you’d be up and about that fast - or to make demands on her time.”

Efi’s energy drained out of her like a leaky balloon. “Sorry.” She met Angela’s eyes nervously. “I apologize, Doctor Ziegler. I was just excited...”

“It’s quite alright, Efi - but your father is correct. At least for the first day after treatment you’ll be under sedation until the therapy is complete. Afterwards…” Angela gave Efi a little conspiratorial wink. “I might be able to open some room on my schedule for a visit to the bazaar, though. There’s a chocolatier there I’m quite fond of.”

The Oladeles had another silent conversation, and this time it was Abinde who spoke. “We will need to discuss this - and if possible, have Efi’s regular doctor take a look at these test results - before we make a final decision.”

“Of course,” Angela agreed immediately. “The methodology of the tests and the therapy itself are proprietary, but the results are quite standard. I’ll leave a copy with you.” Angela paused, considering what else to say. 

_If she were my daughter...yes._

“There is one side effect you should be aware of,” Angela cautioned. “As I mentioned, the therapy is delivered to the eye using nanocapsules, made from a medical grade alloy. Nothing that will cause harm, obviously - but the alloy collects in the iris over time. As a result, the pigment will lighten and permanently change color."

"You're certain it's harmless," Abinde said.

"This delivery system has been used in genetic therapy for two decades. Although this specific application is new, the system itself is well known and most definitely quite harmless. And - if it helps - as part of the long-term portion of the study, we would be checking up with her on a regular basis. We'd want to see her every three months, for the first couple of years, and then less frequently over time.”

Somehow she wasn’t surprised that Efi seemed more excited than alarmed by that news. 

“Do you know what color they would be, afterwards?” 

Angela smiled. “It’s a bit different for each patient, but in your case... I think you’d be likely to end up with a rather lovely golden shade.”

“ _Oooo!_ ”

\-----

"I could've told you about the likelihood of nearsightedness. In fact, I thought I did."

Abeni nodded - most of her family wore lenses of some sort, or got surgery instead.

"But the rest..." The doctor laughed. "You have Angela Ziegler giving you a personal diagnosis, and yet, you are coming to me for a second opinion."

"She may be famous, but you're _our_ doctor," Kehinde said. "I know you."

"I have to say, I am flattered."

The doctor brought up Dr. Ziegler's sequences and notes, and leaned in, appreciative. "Well. We're not even set up to sequence these sections - we could order a custom complete sequence, but that's awfully expensive - and, I'm afraid, it's not covered by National Health. Not without specific symptoms."

Abendi chuckled. "I don't think you need to re-run her tests." Her husband nodded. "We just want to know if you agree with the diagnosis - and the suggested course of action."

The doctor leaned back, and brought up another screen, showing a medical reference database, and found the matching data. _No wonder we don't screen for this - it's so rare!_ She read for a few minutes, checked references, then turned, and looked at the couple. "This inherited mutation? I had to look this up. I've never even heard of it before! But it's been documented for over 70 years - here it is, first citation, _Archives of Ophthalmology_ , year 2000."

She read some more, cross checking further references against Dr. Ziegler's notes. "Yes. By itself, I don't think Efi would've ever noticed, or would have put it up to old age. From what I am reading, I agree with Dr. Ziegler that she would not go blind, but... in combination with the rest..."

She turned, leaning back a little in her chair. "I cannot tell you what therapeutic course I would take. I would have to refer you to a specialist, and I could only dream of being able to refer you to someone like Dr. Ziegler. But..." she interlaced her fingers, thinking over the data again, "I would indeed make that referral. And I think they would suggest taking at least some form of action. What that would be is out of my field, but, again, from what I am reading here - I think they would suggest treatment."

\-----

"She stays a child."

Moira and Angela both jumped a little, looking up from their shared desk, not expecting Widowmaker's voice behind them.

"I'm sorry, Danielle," Angela asked. "...what?"

"Efi. She is a child. A brilliant child, perhaps. But she is still a child," the weapon insisted. "She... finishes growing up, as she is doing, now. You will not take that away from her."

Angela turned a little, putting her arm across the back of her chair, "world's okayest doctor" mug in one hand. "I hadn't planned to. Even if I wanted, I could hardly take a 12 year old child and return a 24 year adult and not raise a _few_ too many eyebrows..." 

"I did not think _you_ would." She gazed into Moira's eyes. "But _I_ did not get a childhood."

Moira looked at Widowmaker, frowning. "You did not need ... ah," she said, catching herself. "You were... a first draft. It has been difficult for you, then?"

"I do not know whether it would have been more difficult - or less. I do have knowledge of Amélie's, but it is not the same."

"No," Angela said, softly. "It wouldn't be."

"I have read the dossier. Her parents love her, even though they do not understand her. She keeps them. She keeps her childhood. She is not... _grown_ up."

Angela nodded, and looked to her laboratory wife. "Moira - she has made an _extremely_ good point."

"I admit... it seems wise." She looked back to the first assassin. "Out of curiosity," the geneticist said, "I suppose you've consulted amongst yourselves, again, and are in unity on the subject?"

"Of course."

"Even Emily," she said, quietly.

"Yes."

"Even _Lena_."

"Yes."

"I must say - given her intense reaction against anyone being 'half-formed' - that I am surprised." She looked over, across the desk, to her counterpart. "Well. Our job just got a bit more complicated."

Angela nodded, agreeing. "It will take more time. But we were going to visit her often, regardless, and once our institutes are working together, it will feel a far more natural progression." She smiled, a little. "She'll get to _become_ , more slowly. Savour each step. I'm... a little envious, of that."

"It will certainly be an _interesting_ series of steps,” Moira conceded. “I can pretty firmly predict _that_." She pulled apart the planned enhancement sequence, laying it out across several hovering screens. "And an interesting exercise to see how we can disentangle everything without causing" - she looked back again at her first creation - "any additional... stress."

"I'm going to refresh my tea," Angela said. "Anyone else?"

Moira nodded. "Please."

"Not for me, thank you," the Widowmaker said, discreetly shifting the rifle on her back.

As the Swiss doctor walked towards the tea station, Widowmaker leaned forward, looking at the screens. It meant nothing to her, but she used the motion to whisper, lightly, to her creator, "I will be watching. I will _protect_ her."

"Of course you will, dear," Moira smirked, taking her hand, briefly, and squeezing it. "I would demand nothing less."

Widowmaker stood, with a little bit of a hmmf, as Angela returned. "I trust you will take _exceptional_ care in this matter, docteur?"

Angela smiled, a little bit pointedly. "I had a childhood, Danielle. A happy one. _I_ understand its value." She sat down, briskly, with the two large cups of tea. "Well, dear. Even if it's not your interest, I think you'll find this a stimulating intellectual exercise. Brain development in the late teenage years is intensely complex. I'd think it was right up your alley."

Moira thought a moment - _that's true_ , she thought. _This might be worthwhile after all._ She glanced again at her wife, and at her daughter's wife. _And sometimes agreement makes the better part of both valour and household peace._

She took a sip of her tea. "There is always something to be learned from any challenge. I will choose to focus on that."

"Good," said the spider. "Tracer and Oilliphéist are awaiting me on the range. I will return to my training. With so much less to do lately, I would not want to start to _miss_."

Angela giggled as the tall blue woman strode from the room. "She can make _anything_ sound like a threat, can't she."

"Yes," Moira sighed, a little annoyed but satisfied with her choice not to fight. "She can."

\-----

"Orisa!" The young engineer ran up to her creation and hugged her, tightly. "I've missed you so much! Oasis is amazing but the climate is _terrible!_ "

"Efi!" Orisa replied, voice light, and happy. "You are back! How was the workshop? Did you enjoy the seminars?"

"Wonderful! And yes, I did! They were tremendous. I met so many brilliant people!" She looked up with rose-gold eyes and smiled. "And I'm so much better, now. I learned so much and I know so much more. And I have some ideas for you, too! You're going to love them, I promise."

"I'm sure I will!"

**Author's Note:**

> To follow this story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual eddas or sagas.


End file.
